Prison time for New Orleans ex-cops in post-Katrina killings

Prison time for New Orleans ex-cops in post-Katrina killings
Ex-student charged with murder in California shooting rampage
Texas town hit by tornado saw worse in 1994
California college chief defends use of pepper spray
Anchorage voters reject gay rights ballot measure
DIRECTV, Tribune reach agreement, channels restored
Baltimore woman's silence fuels doubts about lottery claim
Judge tosses Happy Meal lawsuit against McDonald's
Detroit avoids state takeover, more oversight looms
Prosecutor in Florida shooting case has tough reputation
Accused September 11 mastermind to face trial at Guantanamo
Detroit OK's deal to avoid state takeover
Ammonia used in many foods, not just "pink slime"
Accused September 11 mastermind to face trial at Guantanamo
French militant attack underscores need for U.S. vigilance: U.S. official
Ex-student charged with murder in California shooting rampage
Accused Fort Hood massacre shooter seeks court martial delay
New Mexico high court blocks inauguration of mayor-elect
Victim's parents can join death suit against ex-U.S. beer baron
Marine sues to block discipline over Obama Facebook critique
GM revamps 2014 Impala to attract families
Connecticut Senate set to vote on repeal of death penalty
U.S. to relax Myanmar sanctions amid "dramatic" progress
Court hears appeals over anti-gay marriage law
Twitter heads to Motown to be closer to automakers
Drone crashes in Seychelles, second in four months
Mexico extradites alleged cocaine kingpin to New York
Obama signs insider trading bill, wants more curbs on Congress
Medicine spending rose to $320 billion last year
Chicago relents, grants NATO protesters a permit, activists say
DIRECTV, Tribune reach agreement, channels restored
Detroit avoids state takeover, more oversight looms
Anchorage voters reject gay rights ballot measure
Baltimore woman's silence fuels doubts about lottery claim
Ex-student charged with murder in California shooting rampage
Detroit OK's deal to avoid state takeover
Judge tosses Happy Meal lawsuit against McDonald's
Prison time for New Orleans ex-cops in post-Katrina killings
Texas town hit by tornado saw worse in 1994

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NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Four former New Orleans policemen convicted of shootings in 2005 that killed two unarmed people and wounded four others following Hurricane Katrina were given sentences on Wednesday ranging from 38 to 65 years in prison. A fifth former police officer who did not participate in the shootings but engineered a four-year cover-up of the crimes was sentenced the six years. ...

Ex-student charged with murder in California shooting rampage

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OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - A former nursing student was charged with murder and attempted murder on Wednesday in a shooting rampage that killed seven people and wounded three others this week at a small, Christian college he once attended in California. The suspect in the shootings at Oakland's Oikos University, 43-year-old One Goh, described by some at the school as an outsider, appeared in court in a red jumpsuit for a brief arraignment in which the charges were read to him by a judge. ...

Texas town hit by tornado saw worse in 1994

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LANCASTER, Texas (Reuters) - Huddled inside a closet with his wife and 9-month-old daughter, Quental Austin could hear bricks and two-by-fours clattering as a tornado ravaged his Lancaster, Texas, neighborhood on Tuesday. During just the couple of minutes he was in that closet, the tornado - one of more than a dozen that damaged hundreds of Dallas-area homes and left tens of thousands without power - lifted the roof off his home, shattered the windows of his Yukon Denali and peeled one of the SUV's doors onto the hood. ...

California college chief defends use of pepper spray

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SANTA MONICA, California (Reuters) - The president of a California college defended on Wednesday the use of pepper spray by campus police against students protesting higher tuition for extra summer-school classes, an incident that left as many as 30 people overcome by the caustic substance. The melee that erupted on Tuesday night at a board of trustees meeting at Santa Monica College is under investigation, college President Chui L. Tsang said in a statement. ...

Anchorage voters reject gay rights ballot measure

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Anchorage voters have rejected a ballot initiative that would have protected gays from discrimination in the latest setback to a decades-long campaign to secure anti-discrimination rights for gays in Alaska's most populous city. A preliminary count from municipal officials on Wednesday, a day after the vote, indicated that 58 percent of voters cast their ballots against the initiative, known as Proposition 5. The initiative would have prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in everything from employment to housing. ...

DIRECTV, Tribune reach agreement, channels restored

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(Reuters) - DirecTV has settled its dispute with Tribune Broadcasting Co and agreed to a five-year retransmission deal for all 23 of Tribune's local stations and WGN America, the two companies said on Wednesday. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Tribune said their locals signals and those of WGN America were restored to DirecTV customers on Wednesday. More than 5 million DirecTV customers in 19 cities were cut off from Tribune's stations on Saturday after the two companies failed to reach an agreement over carrier fees. ...

Baltimore woman's silence fuels doubts about lottery claim

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BALTIMORE (Reuters) - A Baltimore woman who says she holds one of three winning tickets in the record $656 million lottery held her own news conference on Wednesday but declined to answer questions or produce any proof of the winning ticket -- fueling doubts about her bizarre story. Mirlande Wilson, 37, arrived at her lawyer's office nearly an hour late dressed in a stretchy pink shirt, Capri pants and a baseball cap emblazoned with a cartoon pig and the words "Sweet Swine. ...

Judge tosses Happy Meal lawsuit against McDonald's

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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A San Francisco judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit against McDonald's over the restaurant chain's marketing of its signature Happy Meals, according to court documents. McDonald's was accused of unfairly using toys to lure children into its restaurants. The proposed class-action lawsuit in a California state court sought to stop the company from using free toys to promote its Happy Meals in the Golden State. ...

Detroit avoids state takeover, more oversight looms

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DETROIT (Reuters) - Detroit avoided a takeover by the state of Michigan on Wednesday after both a review team and the city council approved a consent agreement that will put the city's struggling finances under stricter control. The deal, which was passed by the city council in a 5-to-4 vote, "ensures that the future of Detroit is determined by Detroiters and its elected officials," Detroit's Deputy Mayor Kirk Lewis said after the late vote. ...

Prosecutor in Florida shooting case has tough reputation

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JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Reuters) - Angela Corey, the prosecutor investigating the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager in Florida, has been known to wear a victims advocate pin to trials, shed tears with victims' families and make faces at defense witnesses. The decision about whether to charge the white Hispanic man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, will ultimately rest with Corey. Those watching the case, which has inflamed racial tensions, are looking closely at her background for clues to how she might handle it. ...

Accused September 11 mastermind to face trial at Guantanamo

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Accused September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four suspected co-conspirators were ordered on Wednesday to stand trial before a Guantanamo war crimes tribunal, the Pentagon said, a move that throws the politically charged case into the limelight in an election year. Convictions on the most serious charges, which include terrorism, hijacking, conspiracy and murder in violation of the law of war, could carry the death penalty. ...

Detroit OK's deal to avoid state takeover

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DETROIT (Reuters) - Detroit's city council on Wednesday approved 5 to 4 a consent agreement that would avoid the city's takeover by the state of Michigan due to its sagging finances. A review team appointed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in December had also approved the deal earlier Wednesday. Both the review team and the city council took the action ahead of a Thursday deadline for sending recommendations to the governor and after a state appeals court lifted a temporary restraining order that had stopped the team from meeting. (Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

Ammonia used in many foods, not just "pink slime"

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New York (Reuters) - Surprise rippled across America last month as a new wave of consumers discovered that hamburgers often contained ammonia-treated beef, or what critics dub "pink slime". What they may not have known is that ammonia - often associated with cleaning products - was cleared by U.S. health officials nearly 40 years ago and is used in making many foods, including cheese. Related compounds have a role in baked goods and chocolate products. Using small amounts of ammonia to make food is not unusual to those expert in high-tech food production. ...

Accused September 11 mastermind to face trial at Guantanamo

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French militant attack underscores need for U.S. vigilance: U.S. official

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PHOENIX (Reuters) - Recent attacks by an al Qaeda-inspired gunman in France highlight the need for enhanced cooperation between U.S. federal and local police to thwart domestic attacks, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Wednesday. "We just need to look, unfortunately, overseas to what happened in France with the murders there," Napolitano told a training event in Phoenix for federal, state and local law enforcement. "The recent attack in Toulouse underscores the need ... for analytical capabilities and law enforcement capabilities on the ground in every community," she ...

Ex-student charged with murder in California shooting rampage

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OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - A former nursing student was charged with murder and attempted murder on Wednesday in a shooting rampage that left seven people dead and three others wounded this week at a small, Christian college in California. The suspect in the shootings at Oakland's Oikos University, 43-year-old One Goh, appeared in court dressed in a red jumpsuit for a brief arraignment in which the charges were read to him by a judge. He is accused of opening fire on former classmates and staff at Oikos University on Monday in the deadliest gun violence at a U.S. ...

Accused Fort Hood massacre shooter seeks court martial delay

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(Reuters) - The U.S. Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people and wounding 31 in a November 2009 shooting rampage at the sprawling Fort Hood Army post in central Texas on Wednesday requested another delay in his court martial. Major Nidal Hasan is set to stand trial in June, but Major Joseph Marcee, Hasan's military attorney, asked the trial judge to push back the court martial until October. Marcee was just appointed to replace Hasan's former military attorney, who withdrew from the case. Trial Judge Colonel Gregory Gross set a hearing for Tuesday on the request for a delay. ...

New Mexico high court blocks inauguration of mayor-elect

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SANTA FE, New Mexico (Reuters) - A 28-year-old man elected mayor of Sunland Park, New Mexico, will not be allowed to assume office - or even set foot in city hall - as scheduled on Thursday following a court ruling related to charges that he tried to blackmail a political opponent. Daniel Salinas was arrested in late February on extortion charges and released on a $50,000 cash bond with the condition he not enter city hall or contact city workers. ...

Victim's parents can join death suit against ex-U.S. beer baron

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(Reuters) - The parents of a woman who died of a drug overdose in the St. Louis mansion of August Busch IV will be allowed to join the wrongful-death lawsuit against the former beer baron, officials said on Wednesday. Busch, 47, had asked the Missouri Supreme Court to bar the parents of Adrienne Martin from participating in the case and in the proposed $1.5 million settlement he reached with Martin's ex-husband on behalf of the couple's son. ...

Marine sues to block discipline over Obama Facebook critique

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SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A U.S. Marine facing discipline and possible discharge for using his "Armed Forces Tea Party" Facebook page to criticize President Barack Obama has filed suit seeking to halt military proceedings against him. Lawyers for Sergeant Gary Stein, 26, a meteorologist stationed at Camp Pendleton, were expected in federal court in San Diego on Wednesday to try to block the proceedings, arguing that the Marine Corps was violating his right to free speech. Stein ran into trouble for a critical comment he posted in an online debate over the punishment faced by NATO and U.S. ...

GM revamps 2014 Impala to attract families

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Motors Co is hoping a redesign of the Chevrolet Impala will end the car's reputation as a rental-lot staple and catch the eye of more retail customers. The Impala, a nameplate that was introduced in 1958, \generated more than half of its sales last year from fleet customers. But the company says the 2014 model, with a quieter ride and cushy interior, will now attract showroom buyers. "You'll get a true family sedan here," said Mark Reuss, head of GM's operations in North America. "We really haven't had a true family sedan since I've been at the company since 1986. ...

Connecticut Senate set to vote on repeal of death penalty

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(Reuters) - Connecticut's Senate was set to vote on Wednesday on whether to repeal the death penalty, a measure that if approved could make it the fifth U.S. state in five years to abandon capital punishment. A vote was expected in the afternoon in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where observers said it remained unclear how much support it had. If approved, the bill would go to the majority Democratic House of Representatives, where it is likely to pass, and Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy has promised to sign it into law. ...

U.S. to relax Myanmar sanctions amid "dramatic" progress

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it was ready to relax some sanctions on Myanmar to recognize its fledgling democratic transition, including a ban on U.S. companies investing in or offering financial services to the country. However, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed the Obama administration wanted to move cautiously, saying that the resource-rich Southeast Asian country has a long way to go to shake off decades of military rule. ...

Court hears appeals over anti-gay marriage law

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BOSTON (Reuters) - A federal appeals court in Boston heard arguments on Wednesday about the constitutionality of a law that denies federal benefits to married same-sex couples - a case with implications for gay marriage across the United States. Lawyers for the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the U.S. House of Representatives (BLAG) sought to defend the 1996 law, which the Obama administration essentially abandoned in 2011. ...

Twitter heads to Motown to be closer to automakers

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DETROIT (Reuters) - Twitter, looking for better proximity to car companies with hefty ad budgets, said on Wednesday it will open an office in Detroit just as the city's elected leaders scramble to avoid bankruptcy or a state takeover. The San Francisco social media firm has located an office in the Motor City following a notable financial recovery by General Motors Co , Ford Motor Co and Chrysler from years of painful restructuring and depressed auto sales. Google Inc made a big splash in Detroit a couple of years ago when it opened offices in a nearby suburb. ...

Drone crashes in Seychelles, second in four months

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VICTORIA (Reuters) - A U.S. drone crash-landed at the Seychelles main airport and careered into the ocean on Wednesday, the second remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper aircraft to crash on the Indian Ocean archipelago in four months. The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said the aircraft had technical problems soon after taking off and tried to land at Seychelles International Airport on the main island of Mahe. "It touched down on the runway and bounced a few times before ending (in) the sea at the extreme southern end of the runway," the SCAA said in a statement. ...

Mexico extradites alleged cocaine kingpin to New York

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MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico extradited an alleged drug kingpin accused of smuggling billions of dollars in cocaine to the United States, stepping up pressure on Latin America's largest smuggling cartel led by its most wanted man, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman. Jesus Zambada, 50, alias "The King," was taken from a top security prison in the border city of Matamoros and put on a plane to New York, where he has been indicted in a federal court in Brooklyn, Mexican officials said Wednesday. ...

Obama signs insider trading bill, wants more curbs on Congress

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called on Wednesday for stricter controls on lawmakers to confront "the corrosive influence" of money in Washington as he signed into law an insider trading ban he said was needed to help restore trust in the U.S. government. The Democrat, who is running for re-election in November, said the STOCK Act he signed at the White House made plain that members of Congress using non-public information to improve their personal investment portfolios were breaking the law. Enforcement of the core stock trading disclosure provisions will begin in July. ...

Medicine spending rose to $320 billion last year

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(Reuters) - A raft of new medicines pushed spending on drugs modestly higher last year, but the gains were curbed by weak prescription use as Americans avoided doctor visits, according to a report released on Wednesday. Overall U.S. spending on medicines reached $320 billion in 2011, up 3.7 percent from 2010, according to the report from IMS Health, a healthcare information and services company. The increase was just 0.5 percent on a per capita basis. Prescription use fell 1.1 percent nationally on a per capita basis, the report said. Patient office visits declined by 4.7 percent overall. ...

Chicago relents, grants NATO protesters a permit, activists say

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CHICAGO (Reuters) - The city of Chicago agreed on Wednesday to allow opponents of Afghanistan war to stage a march during the two-day NATO summit of world leaders in May, according to a protest organizer. The city had earlier denied activists a permit to parade on May 20, the first day of the two-day summit of the military alliance, saying the proposed march would clog traffic and over-tax police resources. But on Wednesday, just hours before activists planned to file suit in federal court, the city relented and said it would allow a march on May 20, protest leader Andy Thayer said. ...

DIRECTV, Tribune reach agreement, channels restored

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Detroit avoids state takeover, more oversight looms

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Anchorage voters reject gay rights ballot measure

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Baltimore woman's silence fuels doubts about lottery claim

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Ex-student charged with murder in California shooting rampage

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Detroit OK's deal to avoid state takeover

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